The "classic" part would consist of three fighters (may be fighters, rangers and paladins), one cleric, one thief and one mage. That is six characters in all, and the limit. It works for most situations, though it can be pretty fun to experiment with party compositions. Playing solo can also be a blast.

_________________________
Are they dead? Yes. Unlike you they have but one life...and they wasted it for your sake!

Thanks everyone, I will start out with 4. Now I have a few questions--1. After I install the game, do I need updates to make it current? I suppose that I won'r be able to find the expansion Tales of the Sword Coast and will play without it. 2. If the PC is a fighter, how do I get him to be a cleric also? 3. What does Imoen start out as and how do I get her to be a mage also? 4. Where do I pick up Kivan to use him as a ranger? I will go to Bioware and see if they have any updates to this game and get back here when I have the game ready to play.

_________________________
Keep smiling and the world will smile with you.-------------------

Hi GrandpaI asked you about those playstation games a few days ago for Barrow Hill and I haven't heard back from you. Are you still interested in trading. An answer either way would be appreciated. ThanksCathy

_________________________
" If Cornoil Comes From Corn Where Doe's Babyoil Come From "

You can also go to http:://www.the-spoiler.comand select Baldur's Gate. There plenty of walkthroughs to peruse.

I can't remember if Imoen is an elf? or human.I think only humans can dualclass, but any NPC can multi-class. If you want to either dual or multiclass a NPC, then you bring up the character portrait and click on the button 'dual-class' or 'multiclass'. (amybe this isn't quite right ??).

And yes, bioware do have updates for this game. Be sure to check in games>support->patches for this.

Also, I think there is a patch you need to download if you want to play Baldur's Gate on XP.(I know I did something to be able to play BG1on XP, but I can't remember exactly what I did to be able to do this).

I always play with 6 characters, myself, Imoen,a druid or cleric, Minsc and Dynaheir, and the odd character, maybe Kivan, maybe Ajantis, or maybe a Bard.

As for the Tales of the Sword Coast, I know thatin Europe there is released a UK version of Baldur's Gate, which have both BG1+BG2 + expansions in them. (I think they're selling for like 10

Hi Grandpa68!I'm in chapter 2 at the moment and did some research into what is available as far as the game goes. The common edition easily found out there is a combo of BG1 and TotSC on 3 cds which should not need any patches according to Bioware's site. There is a terriffic site for BG walkthroughs I found with excellent maps and explanations at http://www.dudleyville.com/index.htmlI got the entire 4 game compilation from Amazon UK on DVD with the help of one of our UK members (with deepest thanks). It's not available in the US. And even with the DVDs you still have to keep switching out the DVD.Good luck and enjoy!Andrea

Hello everyone, I have just started Chapter 2 and have some questions again. At what level should my PC be before dual classing him to a Cleric? Imoen is a thief and at what point should I dual class her to be a Mage? When I pick up Montaron and Xzar at the crossroads, how do I dump Xzar and keep Montaron as a fighter/Thief? My proposed party will be: PC-fighter/Cleric, Imoen-Thief/Mage, Montaron-fighter/thief and Kivan(when I find him)-Ranger. As for my combat skills, I am a beginner in this. How should I set up my party? For example, when I find the Ogre to kill, who should be in front and who in back? I don't enjoy being killed at all and in other RPG games I use a cheat to become invincible for the boss fights. Is there a cheat here that I could use in BG?? Any help will be appreciated very much.

_________________________
Keep smiling and the world will smile with you.-------------------

Generally people dual class Imoen at level 6 or seven, because by that point her thieving skills are good enough for the rest of the game. If I plan on dualling Imoen at that level, I have put most of her skill points into lockpicking and finding traps, with a small amount of skill also put into stealth (there are boots available in the game that will increase stealth greatly). She is not really able to pickpocket.

If you want to dual class your human fighter to a cleric, concentrate mainly on one type of melee weapon, start out by giving yourself two skill points in a specific melee weapon; give yourself a ranged weapon skill as well. I usually dual class a fighter after the first level up in which I get an additional weapon skill. That way I end up with a thief or mage or cleric who can also fight well and has a reasonable THACO.

If you want to keep one of a pair of characters such as Monty and Xzar, you can send the one you don't want into battle by themselves (evil way); or, have your PC take that one character into a house or tavern you plan on never visiting again, and reform your party to get rid of them. When you come out of the building the other one won't know what you've done.

When you see a high level enemey, all characters should immediately start using ranged weapons and spells on it. When it gets closer, your fighters and rangers should switch to melee weapons and front the attack, leaving the weaker characters to use ranged weapons or spells.

Use the pause feature at the start of combat to tell your party members what to do, and use pause throughout the battle to plan your strategy. Usually it helps to have all party members concentrate on one enemy at a time.

I urge you not to use cheats. Combat in these games requires strategy, and if you cheat your way through you will rob yourself. There is no boss battle that can't be won with the right stratagey. I have found battles that are too much for the entire party of six using weapons, but a bard with a couple of well-placed Grease and Fireball spells can win it by himself.

I think that during your encounter in the Forgotten Realm's Sword Coast, you will find some very nice things like different wands.

Some of these wans are used to summon animals.I usually do summon the animals, then let the summoned animals act as sort of buffer, while I (and my joined NPCs) start pummeling the boss with ranged attacks like hagatha had adviced you to do.

The one thing to remember is:Keep your mage in the back, your thief sort of midway, and the ranger and yourself in the front.I would strongly urge you to pick up Jaheria and Khalid. You get a so so fighter in Khalid, but a very good healer in Jaheira. It can be difficult to be both healer and figther if you're the only one with the healing abilities if you're dual classing your fighter to a cleric, too.

As for dual-classing, I think it is wisest to do around level 6 or 7, just as hagatha has adviced you to do.

As for dumping Montaron and Xzar, I just sort of them led them die in an epic battle involving spiders.

As for defeating the Ogre (very nasty thing...)well, the battles in Baldur's Gate requires a bit of strategy. You can use Imoen's Hide in Shadows feauture to have her --- erm --- hide in the shadows -- and then use her to scout ahead to see any enemies head.

Then you advance a bit, and when you see the Ogre, you can a) send Imoen to backstab the Ogre, or b) start pummeling the Ogre with ranged attack.

Then send your fighter in melee with the Ogre, then use Montaron's ability to cast spells (I think it is Montaron which is the wizard?) like chromatic orb, sleep, magic missiles, grease and such low level spells. Imoen should fire arrows away at the Ogre using her bow.

Please also note that you have a formation bottom which let you change formations. This means that you can have a triangle formation or a double line formation or or kind of circular formation. Be sure to learn how to this feature, since it do come in handy --- at some point in the game.

Also, in this game, BG1, there is no shame in admitting that you're way in over your head --- and run away. When you have grown stronger --- well then just revist the area(s) again --- and get your ---- justification (or revenge ).

I came to Bergost(spelling) to buy supplies rather than heading towards the Friendly Arms Inn like the walkthru suggested. After reading the above posts I have some more questins to ask. Hagatha mentioned dualclassing after the first levelup. Does this mean that the PC is at level 2 and then goes to Cleric? How many levels should the cleric have before returning to the fighter level? I have started with the PC using the Long Sword. Should I keep him at that or is there a better weapon to use? Will not having the TOSC expansion hinder my progress in the game, such as different items to find or places to visit? Someone mentioned picking up Jaheria and Khalid for the party and use Jaheria as a healer. If this is so, then my PC won't need to be a Cleric and I should keep him as a fighter??? Well, I guess that this is enough questions for this session. Please get back to me when you can.

_________________________
Keep smiling and the world will smile with you.-------------------

If you dual-class a character, the second class has to reach one level more than the first class before you can use the first class again. So If you dual class Imoen at level six, she must reach level seven as a mage before she can use her thief abilities again.

Bear in mind that the character will not be able to increase in the first class any more. It will always remain where it was when you dual-classed the character. Imoen can reach level 7 or 8 as a mage, but will always be a level 6 thief.

If this is your first game of BG, then you might want just want to keep your fighter as a fighter, although there are a few good fighters in the game.

For dual-classing make sure it's what you really want. I would not dual-class a fighter until he or she has already become a useful fighter -- in other words, at least two levels in a melee weapon and two in a ranged weapon, and good THACO -- possibly at around level 4 or 5.

I dual class Imoen right away sometimes just for a change. There are other good thieves in the game, so you don't need to have her be a thief. For another neutral-aligned thief you can pick up Safana, in the southern part of the coastline (near a lighthouse). Montaron is evil, so you could end up with alignment problems later in the game, but you can use him for a long time before that becomes a problem -- plenty of time to pick up Safana if you want. And in chapter 4 there is Coran, who is a fighter/thief. So you can dual-class Imoen any time, really, as long as you have another thief.

THE TOSC expansion has some great areas, and yes, there are some good things you can pick up in those areas. But if you do all of the quests your character will still probably reach the experience cap, at around level 7 or 8, depending on character class, and ther's lots of great stuff to find.

Jaheira and Khalid are good companions for a first run through the game. In addition to being a decent healr and having some good druid spells, Jaheira can fight, but I wouldn't put her on the front line. Khalid is a good fighter, though.

One little trick. Each character gains health points when they level up. You don't always get the maximum number of points, so save before you level up, see how many points you get, and if it's not a lot, reload and try again. Fighters can get up to ten points, I think; mages, thieves and bards get fewer.

The TOSC expansion is really an add-in in the game, meaning that you can go to Durlag's Tower anytime you want as well as go to the main area in TSOC.

However, I wouldn't recommened going to this area(Ulgoth's Beard) before you're at least level 5 or 6. [I once traveled there when I was level 3 or so, and I got beaten very easily ---- ouch].

You are free to go anywhere you want, so if you want to go to Beregost, that's OK. Just be aware that sometimes there could be someone out to get you...And that if you want Khalid and Jaheira to be in your party, you really do need to go to The Friendly Arm Inn. (here you can also get the quest involving the spiders I was talking about earlier).

And yes, if you pick up Khalid and Jaheira, Jaheira would do a decent job as a healer. However, you could still dual class your fighter since having two healers in a party really is a help sometimes. Just remember then to use Khalidas the front man along with Kivan.

Another trick, apart from the ones, hagatha has told you about, is to remember to save before you have your mage try to read a scroll so that she (or he) can write magic in order for the spell to make it into his or her spellbook.

In dungeons, it is good advice to have Imoen (or another thief) scouting for traps.

Yes, having a thief scout ahead is essential in some areas of the game. As well as looking for traps in dungeons, your thief can scout ahead when travelling outdoors, to find groups of enemies without them seeing your party. When you spot a group of enemies you can plan your battle strategy ahead of time, or go another way, if you don't think you can handle the battle.

And a high-level thief with a good stealth ability can do serious damage with a backstab.

Yes, this is the first time that I am playing BG and why does it take soo long to get experience points? I wandered around the area between FAI and Bergost but only found a few enemies and an ogre to kill. My PC only has about 250 exp at level 1. I have read the above posts and will keep my pc as fighter until he at least has 2 levels in melee weapon/ranged weapon. Someone mentioned THACO. What is this and how does it fit with my main character?I got rid of Xzar by traveling north from FAI and fighting some hobgoblins. He died and I returned to the Temple of Wisdom and brought him back. Left him inside and went out and reformed my party. I don't know if this was the right place to do this or not. Now I have to fight the assassin on the steps to get inside FAI. I sure need some help in getting a bunch of exp points early on.

_________________________
Keep smiling and the world will smile with you.-------------------